GPS...

Ok, so Sunday night we headed out to a Rascal Flatts concert in Bethel, NY - the original sight of the notorious woodstock. Due to some flooded roads our original route became obsolete. Thanks to my brother who had brought his GPS system we were re-routed...albeit some crazy back roads....
So, now I am a fan of the slightly new tech toy...
It is actually quite fascinating to watch this thing work..maybe I'm just too easy to please.
Now, we are off to Boston...gonna find some whales:)

Supermom....

Ok, for all you moms out there…who don’t own a cape or have supernatural powers, this one’s for you. So, you know the type of superhero I’m gonna talk about. She’s supermom, the kind of mom you aspire to be, but real life tripped you up and you landed back on your not-so-supermom rear-end.
It all began this year with Andrew’s first school year as a Pre-K kid at Middleburgh Elementary. It was within the first week, I had her pegged. Supermom…aka Kerri. She swooped into school life with her adorable son and immediately volunteered to be classroom mom. She knew all of the kids by name within the first week and signed up for every extra curricular activity that was possible. I eyed her warily and I knew my extra curricular involvement would be slightly limited due to the fact that I still had a two-year-old at home. Thanks to my mom I was able to do field trips and various classroom parties, so I was engaged and involved in Andrew’s school-life.
The whirlwind began quickly with library books that came home every week…we lost one within the first month. Kerri, however helped organize the books and sign out sheets. She told me that it was no big deal to lose a book, it happens all the time. I smiled, it does happen all the time, but not to Kerri.
We had to bring healthy snacks every month for a class party. I was the parent that realized snacks were needed the night before and lost my head in the cupboards trying to find something suitable.
Kerri brought fresh picked strawberries from the local farm complete with whip cream and little dishes.
On a bus trip I could hear Kerri and her sing-song voice, “Who wants to play the I-Spy game”, the request was met with a few eager children. I was thinking, isn’t this nice to sit and ride as long as the kids are being good. I spy something, I spy 22 children actually being quiet, enjoy the moment supermom!
I usually have a pretty good energy level, but Kerri’s energy superceded my own and she’s not even a coffee drinker. I thought I could avoid contact, but Kerri pegged me early, there was no avoiding her supermom smile and . “Andrew is so cute, what a doll you have,” ok, I’ll take that…compliment my kid…point for supermom. “By the way that color looks good on you,” ok…compliment me…another point for supermom. So, slowly, we became acquaintances despite the fact that she actually took notes at the Kindergarten registration this year. I was happy I remembered it was that Wednesday night and I wasn’t late for it. Kerri knows her son’s complete schedule. I am sure Andrew’s is somewhere in my school drawer. Kerri takes her kid to T-ball, soccer and gymnastics, oh yea..and swimming lessons.
I thought for sure I would be the antithesis of supermom until one day, I arrived at school to get Andrew and I realized superkid was still standing there waiting for supermom. We waited with him for a little while and finally supermom flew into the parking….late. I stood with superkid until mom got there looking slightly frazzled and apologized to the teacher and to her son for being so late. She had lost track of time. I decided Kerri was going to be tolerable. Her superhero persona had flaw…tardiness. She loses track of time. She thanked me for standing with her son and I told her it was no problem. I inwardly smiled at my small victory. Supermom…tardy, Amber….on time, point for me.

I Had Dinner With Rocco

I had dinner with Rocco. Ok, let me give you some background due to the fact that my mother asked me.."Ok, so who is Rocco?" Rocco Mediate is a professional golfer. He is not above average looking in a Patrick Demspey type way. However, he carries a charm about him that has won over the media. His sportsmanship and easy-going demeanor has captivated and won over everyone he plays with and against. Just today they showed him joking around with his caddy during one of the most intense moments of the British Open. He is easily one of my favorite people due to his ability laugh and be kind to everyone. So, in my quest to become the ultimate Rocco fan, I will get a t-shirt that simply says: ROCCO. So that's the brief background on Rocco.
Anyway, last night at dinner while we waited to be seated, the nice girl as for Gregg's name. With a straight face he looked at her and said, "I'm Rocco", to which I choked and was thankful I was not drinking a soda as it would have surely come out my nose. I tried to stay within the moment. The girl simply nodded, but I think she suspected that Gregg was not a Rocco.
But, we had dinner together and my receipt order simply states: Local Order Requisition For Two: Name: Rocco.
HA!
"Don't Knock the Roc." - yo!

Letters? Stamps? Mail?

I grabbed hold of a brief moment of inspiration to start going through our garage and “cleaning out”. We moved last year and I felt the boxes that were left were just begging for my attention. So what began as a brief overhaul of a few boxes began a trip that lasted all afternoon.
My mom was diligent at keeping scrapbooks. That’s right I’m the grown up that still can find a 5th grade report card and a flattened balloon from my sixteenth birthday party. I have notes from teachers and plaques from sports banquets still at my viewing disposal. Once I made the move to a house, my mom gladly shifted all of “My Boxes” into my capable hands.
I was amazed at how much of my life was in those boxes. Do you remember the hand written letter? You know the one I’m talking about. You get out a sheet of paper, you take a pen and you spend time writing to someone by hand. Then, when you are done you stick the paper in an envelope, find a stamp, address the envelope and take it to the mailbox. Crazy huh? Well, I found notebooks and shoeboxes filled with letters from friends. Many of them were passed during high school Biology class, but a number of them came in the first couple of years of college. I couldn’t believe how long some of those letters. I haven’t written an actual letter in some time. Email, Instant Messenger and cell phones pretty much keep me in touch with the outside world. There was something different about holding all of those letters from friends and family and I realized I was gawking at them. Who would sit and do this now? As much as I love my friends and family, I know I would succumb to the convenience of an email. I wondered if I should set up some sort of museum for my children. I would have to grab a couple of glass cases and install some mood light to reflect that “long ago” concept. Inside those boxes I would put a handwritten letter and envelop side by side. Along side the letter perhaps a VHS tape and a cassette tape. I still have my “boombox”, perhaps I could get that in there. There would be a Walkman, a rotary telephone and a camera that actually uses film.
I would run a red rope around the glass encasing and we took take time to ooh and ahh. “Mom what’s that?”
“Well, when I was young and I took pictures with a camera I couldn’t see the picture instantly on a screen. I had to take at least 24 pictures, rewind the film, drop it off at the store and wait three or four days to get my pictures back.”
“Wow. That is just silly”.
“I know can you imagine?”
Of course if anyone’s interested, I do have a physical address with a box that accepts mail… the kind you have to put stamps on 

Color Me Crazy

It’s not like I go out to a sit down dinner at a restaurant often. Let’s face it, chicken nuggets, french fries and a playground are more on pace with my lifestyle these days. So, last night when I was out to dinner at the Macaroni Grill I smiled when I didn’t have to grab a high chair and dig through my bag for Matchbox cars. I didn’t silently hope that we were seated in a somewhat secluded area where my beautiful children and their constant chatter wouldn’t drive our neighboring tables out the door. No children to entertain, it was just dinner tonight.
We were seated and the cute little table was covered in paper with four crayons centered on top. I had to smile, “the boys would have loved that”. A whole table top of paper just for scribbling. Now, I know a number of restaurants do this. The waiter or waitress comes over to make their introduction and while they are rattling off the specials they dazzle you by writing their name upside down (right side up to you and me) and not just with one crayon, but TWO. The color combo affect takes over and suddenly you can’t wait to grab the crayons and start trying to write your name upside down with two crayons. It took a couple of tries…but I got it.
Now who thought of this slight phenomenon? Paper tablecloths? Because as I looked around, there were no children in the restaurant ( we were there kind of late), but every table had been drawn on. If I had some sort of impressive drawing talent I would have let loose, but I am “doodle challenged” so I had settle for stick figures and cool ways to write my name. As I looked around I didn’t feel so bad…the three women cackling next to us had only come up with swirlies. However, cool dude at the other table had managed a few cool animals and some geometric designs that definitely out-did my doodles. Oh well. But still, who thought of that? Is it because our culture is saturated in ADD and the restaurant managers know this so they give us something do while we wait impatiently for our food? Is it the hope that an undiscovered artist will find his inspiration just before dinner and someday claim that his whole career started with a paper tablecloth and some crayons? I am not for sure, but I didn’t pass by one used table where the crayons and tablecloth had not been used. It’s just too tempting to not write on that perfectly clean white paper. Kids or no kids, crayons before dinner kept me entertained as well as every other adult in the place:)

Phraseology - Key Words I like To Hear

A few great phrases make my world go 'round.

"Mama, will you snuggle with me?"

"The coffe is ready"

"Let's go out to eat"

"Forecast looks hot and muggy"

"Wanna get some ice cream?"

"Hey this song is for you" (Let's make sure this is a sweet, meaningful song and not Baby Got Back or anything)

"Oh you don't have to pay for that"

"Ok boys, time for bed!"

"I made dessert"

"You're pretty"

"Hey coach remember when you said...?" (This is a clear indication that within the hundreds of hours I have spent with female athletes that at some point something I said stuck!)

"I see the same stars you see"

"I love you, I miss you"

"Hey, there is still coffee left"

"Let me get the door for you pretty girl," I say thank you to the 100-year-old man holding the door open. He says, "That's a beautiful smile... if only I was younger" (I wonder...how much younger we talkin' here? 70 years?) All the same he made me laugh.

"Mommy, I can tell you how I came out of your tummy." (Long pause...conversation gets sidetracked) phew.

"I think Rocco Mediate just waved at you!!" ha ha (Ok so this phrase has never been said, but ya never know!)

There are probably more, but its morning and I haven't finished my coffee yet...so I'll add 'em as I think of 'em.

To cook or not to cook

Hmmm...ok so Wednesday night I cooked for family and friends. Thursday we cooked for more friends. Friday we hosted a Fourth of July party in which we cooked...for family and friends:) Today is Saturday. I'm ordering Chinese Food...nuff said.

Cocoa Puffs and Other Blessings In Life

"Count Your Blessings, Name Them One By One…" isn’t that the song from the early days of Sunday School class? You know the class where if you sat and paid attention, you got a snack and craft time at the end….I highly suggest that for adult Sunday School class as well, but it has yet to catch on. However, I have decided that despite any major exasperating points in my day…and sometimes exasperating is just the way it is. I have decided to count my blessing, one-by-one. These blessing come in shallow, inanimate objects incapable of returning my affection. However, should these blessings disappear the world would not end, but would certainly be a darker place.
Now don’t get be wrong, I am thankful for my family, my home and our health all of the major and inevitably life-altering components to my overall happiness. But, in an effort to avoid completely deep and introspective thinking, lets keep to the fun, one-by-one blessings such as extra chocolate chips in chocolate chip cookies…yum. How about a slight, mind numbing addiction to caffeine? I completely relish reading a really, really good novel (reading one right now in fact and it is severely hindering the accomplishments of my day-to-day chores: Twilight – check it out) oh well. When I put my key in my car, turn it over and the car starts…that’s a good thing. A good hair day, even if I don’t go anywhere…however I would prefer if my hair was going to look good that it could be better appreciated out in public rather than viewed by a five-year-old and a two-year-old. Finding money in my pockets. That's good.
A blessing is when you pick up a pen to write and well…the pen works. OOH…caller ID…a blessing for sure. Toilet paper. Hey, don’t laugh… ever not had toilet paper??? Ah..then it is a blessing now isn’t it?
Facebook…now that my college friends have finally caught up with the rest of the world and I can find them in a couple strokes of the keyboard – I am blessed. Facebook is another reason my chores are not getting done. You all distract me (in a very fun way) and my friend Lacey almost got me in trouble at work last week when she was chatting. Nothing was funny in the office, but I was laughing. Ah, a blessing all the same.
Little Critter Books…always a pleasure and cheesy 80’s movies never get old. Seriously, where would we be without Ducky and Pretty and Pink or "Nobody puts Baby in the corner."
I love mail. Email is great, but it’s a great thing to get the three dimensional envelope with a handwritten address just to me. Snail mail, it’s an oldie, but a goodie.
I love my fish. He resides in a tank just above my kitchen sink. I talk…he listens…need I say more about why this relationship bodes well for me? A blessing.
Though I could go on and on (see rambling) I will end with the fact that I indulge in Cocoa Puffs and my new crush is Rocco Mediate. If you don’t know about it him, just google him, I don’t feel like explaining. He’s a golfer…who would have thought I would crush on a golfer.
My fish is named Rocco.